Photoetching is a process that involves removal of metal through the
use of chemicals. The process and materials are widely used in the
electronics industry and hobby. It has recently come to be used by several
companies to create small detail parts for the model cars we build. These
companies cover a wide variety of products, however they don't produce
everything that everyone wants. Sometimes a modeller may want a part that
is not produced by these companies. The only options then are: Wait and
hope that someone decides to produce the part, scratchbuild it using some
other means, or photoetch it yourself.

Photoetching is a rather simple process which can easily be done by
someone with the desire to create their own parts, access to the required
materials, and the artistic ability to create the patterns to be used. The
only thing they need after that is the knowledge of the processes and
materials involved.

This site is here to provide a basic overview of the process of
creating photoetched parts. It is not intended to be a complete how-to.
Always read the labels on the products you are using and remember that
this process can be dangerous.